The present invention relates to a linear personalization machine.
Personalization machines of the prior art are made up of a rotating platform comprising a plurality of connection devices each associated with a card from a plurality of memory cards. These personalization machines are arranged in a card processing line comprising a unstacking device, an electric testing station, two ejection stations, a turnover station, an ink marking station and a stacking .station. When in operation, the unstacking device ejects a memory card at regular intervals onto a transfer system (3) for portable objects. At the electric testing station the quality of the electronic chips for the cards is checked. Any faulty memory cards are expelled from the processing line system while valid cards are routed towards the personalization station. Personalization consists of entering instructions and/or information into each memory card which are particular to the card or particular to the application. This information is entered either via magnetic waves into contactless cards or via pins into contact cards, or for mixed-type contact and contactless cards by either one or by both of these insertion means. After personalization, the faulty cards are ejected by a further ejection station, while non-faulty cards are optionally returned to be ink or laser marked recto verso, then stacked at a stacking station. A computer system manages the personalization of all the cards. A personalization machine of this type is disclosed by patent application FR 96 03910 filed by the same applicant.
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a linear personalization machine of simpler, less costly construction.
This linear personalization machine may easily be adapted in lieu and stead of a conventional personalization machine. Also, this personalization machine is more compact as it takes up less space on a card processing line. With this advantage, card processing lines of shorter length can be built.
This purpose is attained through the fact that the linear personalization machine, comprising a transfer system for portable objects, incorporating an integrated circuit, is characterised in that it comprises a personalization elevator that is translated vertically and sequentially on a guide support by driving and positioning means, said elevator being made up of a parallelepiped plate fitted with a plurality of connection devices, of mixed or unmixed type, connecting to the integrated circuit of the, portable objects, that are brought in sequential manner in front of an incoming/outgoing station on the transfer line.
According to one particular aspect of the present invention, said guide support is made up of parallelepiped plate whose length is approximately equal to twice the length of said personalization elevator, and comprises a vertical slit, two vertical rails and two pulleys joined together by a belt.
According to another particular aspect, the driving and positioning means are made up of a means to hold and slide said elevator on said rails of said guide support, a driving fixation fixing the elevator firmly to the belt of the guide support, the vertical slit of the guide support forming a track for the driving fixation of said elevator, the driving and positioning means also enabling each fixed platform to be brought to a halt level with the portable objects in the alignment of said transfer system for portable objects.
According to a further particular aspect, said belt of said guide support is periodically set in motion by an electric motor or other power means such that the up and down movements of said elevator along the guide support are regularly interrupted at the level of the incoming/outgoing position on the transfer line so as to allow loading and unloading of the portable objects.
According to another particular aspect, the driving fixation located in the center of said parallelepiped plate comprises means, at its end point, for anchoring to said belt of said guide support.
A further purpose of the invention is to provide a faster personalization machine. This purpose is reached though the fact that the linear personalization machine comprises a decoder package connected to each first parallel port of each personalization card by an address bus and a data bus, said personalization cards being connected in parallel to a backplane computer via a second parallel port. The form of the present personalization machine combined with a new device means that said personalization information can be sent in parallel.
A third object of the invention is to provide a personalization machine which is able to test the electric quality of an electronic chip or the quality of a magnetic strip of a portable object both before and after its personalization. With this personalization machine it is also possible to re-launch card personalization automatically whenever personalization is faulty.
This purpose is achieved through the fact that the connection devices can test the electronic chips and activate the electric contacts and/or contactless terminals of said portable objects.
According to one particular aspect of the invention, when the connection devices have detected a faulty portable object, the latter is expelled from said elevator before its personalization.
According to another particular aspect, the personalization machine comprises computer means for personalization control and management.
According to another particular aspect, said means for personalization control and management trigger a substitution .sequence whenever a personalization defect on a portable object is signaled.
According to another particular aspect, the connection, devices test the quality of the personalization of the portable objects and signal any personalization defects to the control and management means.
According to a further particular aspect; an ejection station located at the exit of said personalization machine tests the quality of personalization of the portable objects and signals any personalization defects to the control and management means.
Other particular aspects and advantages of the present invention will be clearer understood on reading the following description with reference to the appended drawings.